Stuart City Council Approves Housing, Safe Routes Items

A second pay estimate for work on the All Saints Addition was approved by the Stuart City Council Monday.

The amount was about $94,169 to Concrete Technologies, Inc. for the period of December 6, 2019 to January 8, 2020. Public Works Director Jim Henderson commented that besides one complication that has been taken care of, work is going well on the infrastructure. He said they replaced the raw water line and are now working on the sewer. The Council also approved a tax abatement application from Council Member Bryan Belden, who abstained from the vote, and denied an application from Robert and Madonna Warner. The residential tax abatement is a five-year, 75% abatement on the first $75,000 of actual value added by the eligible improvements, as part of the 2018 Stuart Housing Urban Revitalization Plan.

Economic Development Director Kristen Renslow then requested that the Council amend the plan to exclude properties in the All Saints Addition from being eligible, because the lots are free, except for legal and abstraction costs, like the Wambold 1st and 2nd additions. The Council approved this amendment, and to apply for Iowa Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School funding for a sidewalk that would start at the intersection of Northeast 2nd Street and All Saints Drive and run along Northeast 2nd Street to the Stuart Elementary building. Cost of the four-foot wide sidewalk is estimated at $270,000, which the City would have to provide matching 20% funds of $54,000.